Ore washer or concentrator



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ORBWASHER 0R GONBNTRATR.

No. 529,188. Patented Nov. 13, V1894.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. F. PIKE. ORB WASHER 0R GONGENTRATOR.

No. 529,188. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

WITNESSES: I Y u IIKQVENTOR @4MM M (No Model.) A 5 sheets-sheet s.

C. F. PIKE..

ORE WASHER 0R GONGENTRATUR. No. 529.188. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

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C. E'. PIKE.

ORE WASHER 0R GONCENTRATOR.

No. 529,188. Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

WITNES'SES z .(Nn Model.) y. 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

C. F. PIKE. ORB'WASEER 0R GONGENTRATOR.

Patented Nov. 13',- 1894.

INVENTOR/ WITNESSES Aif onms Pmns 60,. PHoT UNr'rnn STATES PATENT Enron.,

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE WASHER 0R ooNcENTRA-roe.

SPECIFICATION forming pere emettere Patent Ne'. 529,188, aerea November 1s, 1894.

Application filed July 26! 1894. Serial No. 518,629. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it mayk concern:

Be it known that L'OHARLES E. PIKE, a citiphia, in the county of Philadelphia-and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Washers or Concentrators; and I do hereby declarethe l following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to ore-washers or concentrators, and particularlyto that form of the same having a vessel containing a body of mercury or an amalgam-plate, a feed-device, a suction discharge-device and magnetic-devices in advance of or adjacent to the 'be deposited within the influence of the suction or lifting force of the discharge-device for removal by it from the washer along with the light or other waste-matters of the ore.` In the one case theblack-sand particles are discharged from the washer Vas a clean or approximately clean by-'product-and in the other they form part of the common discharged waste-matters. The object of magnetically raising the black-sand particles from the mercuryor amalgam-plate, especiallyfrom the former, is that the suction force in the discharge-device does not need to be of the maximum degree which would be required if such suction force were employed to first lift the sandparticles from the mercury and then effect theirdischarge from the washer. 'On the contrary, the degree of such force maybe reduced to a minimum or suchrthat will di'scharge such particles along with the lighter w-aste-matters, and hence any tendency of such force to lift and discharge the mercury is avoided. Y A further object of the same is tomore-effectually keep the surface of the mercury or amalgam plate clean and bright to increase the effectiveness of the concentrator or washer. zen of the United States, residing at Philadel-y A further object of my invention is to provide improved construction of magnetic devices intermediate of the feed and discharge devices of the washer for successively raising the black-sand particles from the mercury or amalgam plate and subsequently scattering or dispersing the same within the washer for facilitating the separation of any particles of segregatedV precious metal from the blacksand and of their free descent to the mercury or amalgam plate for recovery.

My invention has for itsl still further object the provision of a secondary dischargedevice interposed' between the feed-device andv main-discharge device, which secondary discharge-device is used foi` removing from the washer the very-light waste materials instead of vkeeping them in .the washer for removal along with the heavier waste-matters by the main-discharge device. The removal of the lighter waste-matters separately from the heavier waste-matters not only diminishes the amount of work to be done by the maindischarge-devce but also admits of con-l veying such light waste-matters and any contained oat metal directly to the amalgamat-y ing devices for expediting the operation of the apparatus.

My invention accordingly consists of the method of washing or concentrating ore, and to the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as hereinafter more fully described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a form 9o of washer or concentrator embodying part of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a like view, showing a modification of construction and arrangement of parts shown in Fig. l.. Fig. 3 is a similar view, illustrating still another modification and showing the use of the magnetic devices for not only lifting the blacksand from the mercury or amalgam-plate but also for separately discharging it from the washer. Fig. a is a plan of an ore-washer or concentrator having a rotating mercury-con- IOO taining vessel embodying my invention in its complete form, and showing the black-sand particles separately removed from the washer by magnetic devices. Fig. 5 is a distorted sectional elevation of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of rotating amalgamplates for use in lieu of the rotating mercury containing chamber shown in Fig. 5.

A. represents an ore-washer or concentrator of any suitable or desirable form of which the receiving vessel ct containing a body of water ct superposed above a body of mercury a2 may be provided for as the requirements of service demand.

In Figs. l to 3 inclusive the vessel ais represented as a stationary vessel of oblong form having a feed device or flume B. a water supply b, a suction discharge-device C, of any suitable kind, preferably that derived from a rotating suction pump which is not shown in the drawings, as dilferent forms of the sameare well known, and a supply of mercury a2 on the bottom of vessel a. feed-device B is a jet-tube or tubesD located above thc level of mercury a2 for` conveying the ore or causing it to travel through the washer from the feed to thel dischargedevices. Adjacent to the inlet end of the suction-discharge C isa rotating magnetic device Gzwhich may be of any suitable construction and be composed of either electro or permanent magnets as desired and is driven bya belt g or other power transmittingdevice.

In Fig. l. the rotating magnets G are shown mounted in the -washer A in `advance of the inlet `end c of the suction discharge C and are drivenso as to rotate in the direction of arrow l or `toward the said suctionfdevice inlet` end `e for attracting the black-sand particles from the mercury. The magnets G maybe so `mounted that their poles may be above or level with the surface of the mercury orthey may dip into or move i through the same. These sand-particles are carried by the magnets Gr` to the wiper or brush II suitably rotated by belt h as indicated by arrow `2 to forcibly sweep said sand particles from the magnets beyond the field of force of the same toward the suction `discharge inlet end cinto which they pass and are discharged from the washer.

In Fig. 2 the magnets G are located to the rear of the discharge-device'Cand itis provided with a rearwardly extending i,catch plate c upon which the sand particles fall after beingwiped o from the magnets G for discharge from the washer.

In Fig. 3 the magnetic device G2 is in the form of an endless traveling belt shown located to the rear `of discharge device C, said belt passing to the top of the machine, whereat is located the wiper I-I for discharging the sand particles on themagnets into a chute h. In this forinof construction the magnets also serve as a separatedischarge device for the `black-sand `particles which if saved will form a comparatively clean bypro duct. If desired, this form of traveling belt Below the` magnetic device Gf2 may be located in advance of the suction discharge C.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown my improvements in their complete form in connection with a rotating mercury containing vessel m in the receiving vessel d, said rotating vessel m carrying the ore from the feed B to the main discharge device C. Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noticed that in advance of the feed flume or device at any desired distance therefrom is located the secondary suction discharge device K. In practice the inlet end 7e thereof is preferably located considerably above the level of the mercury so that it will discharge only the very light waste-matters, or those from which the heavy particles of metal have escaped and which contain float or flour gold. This light waste-discharge being removed from the `washer not only relieves the -main discharge `C of an unnecessaryiainount ofwork tobe done, but also admits of conducting such `light waste-matters with the contained float or fiour gold directly to suitably constructed amalgamating apparatus, instead ofpassing the same along with the bulky ror i heavy waste-matters discharged i through the main Vsuction device C and subsequentlyfseparating such light waste material for amalgamati ing treatment.

In Fig.` 4, interposed between thesecondary and main discharge devlces, are rotating i magnets Gisuitably mounted on the `wallsot' thestationary vessel was illustrated. These i magnets G may beinrall respects constructed `and arranged for operation `and ihavewiipers i or brushes II as already describedA for magnets G andiwipers II. These magnets G may beso arranged that their peripheries may be above or adjacent to the surface of the mercury in` vessel m or may'dip into the same as the requirementsof serviceldexnand. They are employed to attract the -blackfsand `from the surface of the mercury 4toikeep it clean and bright, while the brushes I-Iisub- `sequently remove such black-sand from the magnets G and disperse or scatter thesame in vessel ct beyond the induence of the field of force of said magnets to admit of any i segregated metal escaping therefrom and falling to the mercury for amalgamation. In Fig. 4 is also shown the belt form `of `magnets i G to the rear of the `main discharge C for rei moving from the surface of the mercury the black-sandnot dischargedby the main suc tion device C.

Any system of circuit connections l-l Fig. 4, may be used for the magnets G when they are electro-magnets, Vand such circuit will have a suitable source of supply 2.

If desired, all of the foregoingdescribed magnets may have in their circuits, circuitbrealters for making themsuccessively-active or inactive, and continuous or alternative currents may be used. `If desired, however, they all may be permanentmagnets.

Instead of using a mercury containing veas IOO sel m as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, amalgam plates may be substituted, as shown at m2 Fig. 6.

- A s it is obvious that the constructions and arrangements of parts herein described may be variously changed without departing from the spirit of the invention,I do not limit myself to the same as shown and set forth. Thus for instance a traveling belt of amalgam plates may be substituted for the rotating plates fm, and magnets G G may be active during a part oftheir revolution and inactive during the remaining part.

I do not desire to broadly claim herein a magnetic separator adjacent to the inlet of. the suction-discharge, as this forms the sub ject matter of another application filed April 6, 1894, Serial No. 506,651.

1. In an ore washer and amalgamator, the combination with a receiving vessel containing an amalgamating surface, and a superposed body of water, a feed device, a suctiondischarge distant from said feed device, and means for moving the ore from the feed device to said suction-discharge, of an auxiliary suction discharge located between the .feed and main suction-discharge, for the purpose set forth.

2. In an ore washer or amalgamator, the

combination with a receiving vessel containing a body of water, afeed device, a suctiondischarge distant from said feed device, and a movable amalgamating surface immersed in the water, said surface adapted to convey the ore fed thereto to the suction-discharge, of revoluble magnets between the feed and suction-discharge and adjacent to the inlet of the'latter and to the amalgamating surface, and means for clearing the said magnets of magnetic material adhering thereto, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receiving-vessel, a feed-device, a rotating or traveling amalgam surface, a suction-discharge and a magnetic dischargedevice, substantially as set forth.

4. In the art of Working placer gravel, the method, which consists in feeding the material through a body of water onto an amalgamating surface and removing the magnetic and non-magnetic constituents of said mate rial separately from said surface, substantially as'and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

S. J. VAN STAVOREN, JOHN RODGERS. 

